It certainly appears some within the Steelers are growing impatient with Aaron Rodgers—everyone but Mike McCarthy, some believe. McCarthy, of course, goes back decades with Rodgers, spending 13 years together in Green Bay. While he hasn’t experienced this exact dynamic in their relationship before, he has seen the Aaron Rodgers Show before.
McCarthy, GM Omar Khan, and owner Art Rooney II have all commented on Aaron Rodgers and when he might, or might now, sign with the Steelers at various points in the offseason. Outside of McCarthy, there is a clear heightened urgency in their comments. Despite insistence to the contrary, it’s easy to believe they are growing frustrated.
Going all the way back to the Combine in March, they seemed to anticipate smooth sailing. Even as recently as draft weekend, Rooney was saying that he expects an answer in the coming weeks. The Steelers got to know Aaron Rodgers last year, but only Mike McCarthy truly knows him. And perhaps has less to lose, too, so he might be the last to point to when looking for those frustrated in the organization about the situation.
“I think you could probably just pick out anyone in the front office. I’ll tell you the person who I don’t think is annoyed. I don’t think Mike McCarthy is moved by this at all. Mike McCarthy has dealt with this for a long time”, Ray Fittipaldo said on 93.7 The Fan when asked about whom he believes is the subject of reports about growing frustration in the Steelers organization over Aaron Rodgers.
In fact, there’s a good case to make on that front unless McCarthy is just a good salesman. On the whole, he has been the most casual about the timeline, and by a wide margin. During the draft, McCarthy basically suggested he would prefer Rodgers doesn’t sign for a while. And that’s how Fittipaldo read it, as well.
“If Aaron Rodgers isn’t there on May 18, guess what? Will Howard and Drew Allar are gonna get a ton of reps in those voluntary workouts”, he said. “So Mike McCarthy is sitting back, he’s looking at this like, ‘Okay, my young QBs get a lot of reps [and] my vet, my guy’s gonna come when the time is right, and we’ll be good’”.
One advantage is that, even compared to last year, Aaron Rodgers doesn’t have to start from scratch, given his history with Mike McCarthy. He knows his teammates, the owner, the facility. Frankly, he knows more coaches on staff now than he dd going into last season. Even going back months, he admitted that was an added incentive to come back for one more season.
If the Steelers had a better option, or a more realistic outlook on their prospects this year, they wouldn’t be in this situation. But because they believe the combination of Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers makes them contenders, they must bite their tongues. Perhaps everybody but McCarthy himself, who already knows how to coach them and what he needs. And evidently, what he needs most right now is time.
Recommended for you